Evander Ellis-A Taiwan golf ball maker fined after a fatal fire for storing 30 times limit for hazardous material

2025-04-29 23:22:44source:TradeEdgecategory:Contact

TAIPEI,Evander Ellis Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan authorities fined a golf ball manufacturer 2.4 million New Taiwan dollars ($75,000) on Monday and warned of criminal charges for storing 30 times the legal limit of hazardous material and other violations after a major factory fire killed nine people and left one other missing.

The mayor of Pingtung county said at a news conference that Launch Technologies Co. had 3,000 tons of organic peroxides on site, far more than the 100 tons of hazardous material that is permitted, Taiwan’s Central News Agency reported.

Those responsible would be held accountable for public endangerment and negligent manslaughter, Mayor Chou Chun-mi said.

Company officials could not be reached for comment.

Other news Philippines vows to remove floating barrier placed by China’s coast guard at a disputed lagoonDeath toll in Taiwan factory fire lowered to nine, with one missing. Four victims were firefightersA Chinese dissident in transit at a Taiwan airport pleads for help in seeking asylum

It’s unclear what caused the fire on Friday, but two explosions in the already burning building trapped firefighters and workers under rubble. Four firefighters were among the nine who died. More than 100 other people were injured.

Organic peroxides, which are highly flammable, are used in a variety of rubber products including golf ball cores. Launch Technologies is one of the world’s major golf ball makers, producing 20% of the global supply last year.

Taiwanese law requires organic peroxides to be stored in a separate warehouse building, but Launch Technologies kept the material on the first floor of the factory building, Chou said.

Larger fines were assessed for failing to designate a point person to help fight the fire and failing to give a complete inventory of the organic peroxides on site when firefighters arrived, she said.

___

Associated Press researcher Wanqing Chen in Beijing contributed to this report.

___

This story corrects the gender of Pingtung mayor.

More:Contact

Recommend

Warm inflation data keep S&P 500, Dow, Nasdaq under wraps before Fed meeting next week

Friday the 13thdidn’t spook investors with U.S. stocks little changed on the day as investors bided

Texas Republican attorney general sues over voter registration efforts in Democrat strongholds

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has sued two of the state’s largest counties

How do Harris and Trump propose to make housing affordable?

As affordable housing stays stubbornly out of reach for both renters and buyers, the candidates for